This thread last year got over 3,000 posts. Worked out very well, why not do it again?
Season starts tomorrow with a pretty "meh" tnt doubleheader, but i'm just happy to have basketball back. I have a Cavs vs Clippers Finals this season. Jabari Parker rookie of the year. Lebron m.v.p. Detroit as a surprise team who will find a way into the playoffs this season under stan van gundy. What say you guys?
I think every single team in the east potentially got better with the exception of indiana and miami. It may not be reflected in the records by seasons end, but this is the deepest the east has been in quite a while talent wise.
But this potential GSW vs OKC 1st rd matchup makes picking the Warriors a little weird. Could have the chance to be the best 1st rd series in leave history.
Their roster and culture are still under construction. Teams dont go from 1st pick in the draft to nba title in one offseason. This team had a shot if all broke right, but it didnt. They couldnt lose their only interior defender for the season before christmas. They will still be a load to handle come playoff time, and with lebron you always have a shot, but signs point to next year as a year cleveland should be significantly better
back to varejao for a sec... i didnt know this before, but year 3 of varejaos deal is a team option, so at least they protected themselves there. Its really more like a 2 year 20 mil deal, with that 2nd season coming under a substantially bigger cap when the new tv deal kicks in. Its a bad deal but not really as bad as it initally seems
But this potential GSW vs OKC 1st rd matchup makes picking the Warriors a little weird. Could have the chance to be the best 1st rd series in leave history.
I don't think the Warriors will end as the #1 or even #2 seed.
Yeah, we Warriors fans may be a reflexively pessimistic and jaded lot. But we just saw our team go through an uncharacteristically healthy stretch and now the injuries are catching up to them. You know how Giants fans think they must have a terrible medical staff? Warriors fans think the same thing, with arguably good reason.
Not sure who they'll trot out at center tomorrow but whoever it is will have a tough time managing Deandre Jordan.
Best game of the day ahead. Two teams who hate each other.
Was thinking of staying up for this game, but bed time has arrived.
He's a different man this year and it's incredible to watch. He's just shitting all over the league during this December. I still think LeBron, Davis, and Curry are better players than him. Throw Durant and Westbrook in that mix. Maybe Chris Paul still gets the nod.
But James Harden is the motherfucking MVP of this league. He's the most important individual for his team in the league. Without Harden the Rockets wouldn't make the playoffs in the East. With Harden, they're in contention for the #1 seed out West.
He just abused Memphis last night, made Tony Allen look helpless which is a hard thing to do.
I had the same worries about Harden that a lot of his doubters/critics had. But he's answered so many questions this year and is just on a different level. '13/'14 Harden was an All-Star caliber player. '15 Harden is a Hall of Fame caliber player. Such a beast. The only real question with him is the playoffs. And we'll see how that turns out. But what a monster this guy has been this year. Eat shit haters.
He's a different man this year and it's incredible to watch. He's just shitting all over the league during this December. I still think LeBron, Davis, and Curry are better players than him. Throw Durant and Westbrook in that mix. Maybe Chris Paul still gets the nod.
But James Harden is the motherfucking MVP of this league. He's the most important individual for his team in the league. Without Harden the Rockets wouldn't make the playoffs in the East. With Harden, they're in contention for the #1 seed out West.
He just abused Memphis last night, made Tony Allen look helpless which is a hard thing to do.
I had the same worries about Harden that a lot of his doubters/critics had. But he's answered so many questions this year and is just on a different level. '13/'14 Harden was an All-Star caliber player. '15 Harden is a Hall of Fame caliber player. Such a beast. The only real question with him is the playoffs. And we'll see how that turns out. But what a monster this guy has been this year. Eat shit haters.
He is shooting a career low from 3, 2nd worst shooting percentage of his career. 2nd most turnovers in the league. Steph Curry is the MVP right now, only because Davis's team is .500.
Harden's secondary backcourt creator on his team is the ghost of Jason fucking Terry. A guy who hasn't been relevant in years and belongs on ESPN more than he does a playoff contender. Check out the players on the Rockets and Warriors who have played 500+ minutes this year...
Curry
Green
Thompson
Barnes
Iggy
Livingston
Bogut
Ariza
Harden
Motiejunas
Terry
Howard
Beverley
Papanikolaou
Curry's got a lot more to work with. Iggy and Ariza are practically washes, similar defensive wing types. But Klay Thompson? Draymond Green? There's just so much more depth on the Warriors. When Dwight was out, Harden was carrying an 25-win roster to an 8-4 record with epic performances.
And for all the talk about Harden turning the ball over more than Curry, that has to do with him simply playing more minutes than Curry.
38.1 AST% -- 15.3 TOV%
36.5 AST% -- 14.9 TOV%
Those are Curry and Harden's Assist and Turnover percentages this year. Can you guess which one is which?
When you factor in minutes played and pace, Curry actually turns the ball over more often than Harden does. They're pretty much even when it comes to assists and turnovers.
And that's not even taking into account the fact that Curry has the superior cast. If Harden had a secondary perimeter scorer like Klay Thompson, you bet your ass his turnover total would go down.
And yes...
.489/.385/.914
.434/.341/.886
Curry clearly has the superior triple slash shooting line. But that doesn't include Harden's BEST IN THE GAME ability to get to the FT line... 9.6 FTA vs. 4.0 FTA edge for Harden. Curry is the best shooter in the game but Harden is the best penetrator in the game. Those FTs make up for the inferior shooting from Harden and put him in the same range as Curry in terms of efficiency.
Davis is the best player in the league his team's just not good enough this year. It's down to Curry vs. Harden right now and Harden is every bit the candidate that Curry is. He's been an absolute monster this year, far better than any previous version.
So if Thibs is on the hot seat with management, he should go out his way. Even without Brooks and Hinrich, he refused to put Rose back in the game. If Rose doesnt change his game, and quickly, the Bulls are going nowhere.
Oddly enough though, Curry's numbers that would otherwise be indicative of his play have taken a hit just by the team being so good. He played only 26 minutes tonight, for example, because his team was up by about 90 points against the Sixers.
I just want to give my boy Harden some love because it was so annoying to hear the critics just destroy him the past few years. I mean for fucks sake the guy was the clearcut leader on Team USA according to pretty much every coach and player there and yet he was constantly getting ripped by fans because of his defensive reputation and offensive style. I couldn't watch some of those games so I'd check out twitter and there would non-stop Harden-hate circlejerks even when he was going off and killing it.
Who was the last leader of a Gold Medal USA team to be the butt of all jokes by the fans? The guy definitely deserved some shit for his D and I'm glad that the shaming allowed him to hit that next level. But holy crap did people go overboard and I'm so happy to see him make those people eat shit right now.
I remember people on this thread called him out as nothing more than a glorified Joe Johnson or Monta Ellis less than 12 months ago. Now he's a legitimate MVP candidate and is actually putting in work on both sides of the court. The man deserves the attention and I'm just enlightening the fools who still think he's nothing special.
Silence now.
Also the new nba... Leagues star player and all time great loses by 50 to the Hawks.... Plays them a week later and decides to sit and rest. pathetic
Silence now.
Also the new nba... Leagues star player and all time great loses by 50 to the Hawks.... Plays them a week later and decides to sit and rest. pathetic
Oh no you didn't!
Joe is gonna be by soon, and he's not gonna be happy!
Len/Westbrook get tangled up. Len throws Westbrook to the floor. Westbrook comes back at him. Len gets flagrant 1, Westbrook gets a technical. As he is shooting the flagrant free throws, one of the Morris twins gets T'd up. After OKC gets the ball back, Westbrook gets a and-1. As he is screaming to the crowd, the Phx bench gets a technical, and Westbrook is T'd up again for taunting and is ejected, even though he was yelling to the crowd.
Westbrook was beasting too. Kind of a shame. Its been an entertaining game to say the least.
Damn right with the Monta Eliis part homie. That was some bs and you desrve to eat that shit.
But plenty of dudes compared him to Joe Johnson. And those motherfuxkers too deserve to eat that doo doo.
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is referring to me.
Damn right with the Monta Eliis part homie. That was some bs and you desrve to eat that shit.
But plenty of dudes compared him to Joe Johnson. And those motherfuxkers too deserve to eat that doo doo.
I believe I said I didnt know if his game was closer to an Allen Iverson or a Monte Ellis.
Lets just hope Harden doesnt pull another choke job in the playoffs this year. Maybe he can reach 40% shooting this year!
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is referring to me.
Damn right with the Monta Eliis part homie. That was some bs and you desrve to eat that shit.
But plenty of dudes compared him to Joe Johnson. And those motherfuxkers too deserve to eat that doo doo.
If the regular season ended today, Houston vs. Dallas in the 1st round. You and I could have some on that one. Cause no doubt they would guard each other.
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is referring to me.
Damn right with the Monta Eliis part homie.
So... what's so bad about Monta Ellis?
His game is disgustingly bad right now.
His game is disgustingly bad right now.
he was point shaving against the nets... or at least he played like it.
When they go on these defensive spurts they are so enjoyable to watch.
When they go on these defensive spurts they are so enjoyable to watch.
Real fun game to watch. Only disappointing thing was Toronto didnt keep it closer longer.
"Horrible, terrible AAU basketball. It's stupid. It doesn't teach our kids how to play the game at all so you wind up having players that are big and they bring it up and they do all this fancy crap and they don't know how to post. They don't know the fundamentals of the game."
Link - ( New Window )
NOT
He has an ugly game. But he's a Top 3 offensive player in this league. LeBron. Curry. Harden.
Monta Ellis is a good player. James Harden he is not.
The end of LeBron's reign is upon us. He's 30 now. He's got nagging back issues and is no longer the hands down alpha dog in the league. Times are changing. The West is loaded, the East is deeper than expected. Praying for health all-around and hopefully we get a good playoffs.
Watch a UVA game. The Hoos know how to play basketball at a fundamental level. That's why they're #3 in the rankings despite having none of the Burger Boys that are festooned throughout the rosters of teams like Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, etc.
The end of LeBron's reign is upon us. He's 30 now. He's got nagging back issues and is no longer the hands down alpha dog in the league. Times are changing. The West is loaded, the East is deeper than expected. Praying for health all-around and hopefully we get a good playoffs.
I am going to pull an Osi, and start bragging about a proclamation a few years ago.
Jimmy Butler right now has to be in the top 5 in the MVP race. He's scoring 22 a game. Grabbing over 6 boards a game. 4th in FTA (2nd among qualified.) Guards every teams best perimeter defender. The offense is running through him now, instead of Rose. I got bashed saying that the Bulls should have traded Deng years ago, since many proclaimed him an all-star. Deng has never come close to playing at this level.
Right now he is probably a 2nd team ALL-NBA'er. First team all-defense. He has to be a lock for Most Improved Player.
Harden is the best 2 guard in the league, but when everyone was glossing over Klay, Beal, Derozen, etc as the next in line.... Butler is probably the 2nd best SG in the league and the best 2 way two guard in the league (sorry Harden, your defense is better, but you guard the weakest of the 3 perimeter players.)
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its why college basketball is unwatchable now as well. I used to watch every college game on every night. I cant even stomach it anymore....
Watch a UVA game. The Hoos know how to play basketball at a fundamental level. That's why they're #3 in the rankings despite having none of the Burger Boys that are festooned throughout the rosters of teams like Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, etc.
agree they are the exception though now. i shouldnt have made a blanket statement- but the point holds i feel- the talent out there is great- the basketball is not
He has to be a lock for Most Improved Player.
Draymond Green might make that a tough call.
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He has to be a lock for Most Improved Player.
Draymond Green might make that a tough call.
Oooohh. Yeah, forgot about him. I am sure Tyreke Evans, Mason Plumlee, Tobias Harris as well.
But Butler and Green have been awesome.
He's mentally done.
He's been bad all year sans a few games. He has no desire to attack. All he wants to do is shoot long jumpers and says he will continue to shoot them.
I have watched the majority of the games. I have seen his interviews. He may come back and play some good games. But his lack of driving to the basket is a clear sign he does not want to get hurt anymore. He said we will see in a few months, well time is running out.